State pension forecasts are now available online via a tool being publicly tested ahead of major reforms next week.

The new web device, which offers forecasts to workers of all ages, hasn't been fully publicised yet - but you can find the early 'beta' test version here and provide feedback. Previously, only people aged 50-plus could get a forecast of their new state pension by applying over the phone or by post.

The state pension overhaul will introduce a new flat rate of £155.65 a week, but the changes have sparked anger and confusion as some people discovered they will receive less while others remain in the dark about the size of their payout.

The new online tool could now help people who are unsure if they are on track for a full state pension or not.

Changes pending: State pension overhaul will introduce a new flat rate of £155.65 a week

MPs last week slammed the Government for botching its messages about the new state pension so badly that many people haven't a clue whether they will win or lose under the reforms. They warn only 13 per cent of those reaching state pension age in the first year of the new system will get £155.65.

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Pensions Minister Ros Altmann has admitted that the new state pension was ‘mis-sold’ to the public, while alarmed MPs on the Work and Pensions committee have issued a series of demands for urgent changes.

These include simplifiying paper forecasts, writing to people due to receive less in the early years of the new state pension, and the creation of a telephone hotline service manned by experts to help recipients of the letters.

THIS IS MONEY TESTS NEW ONLINE STATE PENSION TOOL

This is Money tried the new web forecasting tool to see how well it worked.

You have to sign up for the GOV.UK Verify system first, then provide p60 or passport information to prove your identity.

After an early glitch during that stage, we managed to get a forecast.

This showed how much state pension had been accrued to date, and said we were on track to get the full payout by retirement age.

Have you tried to get a forecast? Email This is Money's pension reporter at tanya.jefferies@thisismoney.co.uk

Our forecast: This is Money tested the new tool

The National Audit Office recently joined the attack on the Government's handling of state pension reforms. It expressed concern that the Department for Work and Pensions only has 'limited information' about who would be affected by one particular aspect of the pension reforms, the uprating of Guaranteed Minimum Pensions.

The NAO said: 'Some people are likely to lose out and they have not been able to find the information they need.'

The DWP said it was not widely publicising its new online state pension forecast tool just yet because it was still in a testing phase, although information was appearing in some campaign literature.

It said in response to MPs' recent criticisms: 'The new state pension reflects a bold move to create a system that is simpler and easier to understand and millions stand to gain from the changes, including women and the self-employed, who so often have lost out in the past.

'We are committed to ensuring that the public fully understands the changes being made to the State Pension, that is why we launched a multimedia campaign in 2014, which will continue over the coming months and years.'

In reply to the NAO, the DWP said the examples used in its report were 'extreme and aren’t representative of most people’s circumstances'.

It added: 'Changes to the Guaranteed Minimum Pensions are part of the transition to a simpler new state pension that will ensure people have a solid basis from which to save.'

The reader asked why after paying National Insurance for 44 years he was losing out on 'a grand scale' from state pension reforms.

Webb wrote that when comparing outcomes under the new state pension and the old state pension, it was important to look at the whole system and not just the basic state pension.

You could also build up additional state pension if you weren't contracted out, and if you were contracted out and paid less NI then deductions were made accordingly, he explained.

'Overall, the new system costs roughly the same as the old system in the early years. Over time it will become cheaper because people can no longer build up the relatively large additional state pensions which are available under the current system,' wrote Webb.

HOW MUCH IS THE STATE PENSION?

The basic state pension is currently £115.95 a week, but it is due to rise to £119.30 this month. It is currently topped up by additional state pension entitlements - S2P and Serps - accrued during working years.

This two-tier system will change from April 2016 and be replaced by a 'flat rate' pension. Chancellor George Osborne has announced that the starting rate will be £155.65 a week.

Workers need to have 30 years of qualifying National Insurance contributions to get the current full state pension, but will need 35 years of contributions to get the full flat rate state pension in future.

However, even if you paid in full for a whole 35 years, if you contracted out for some years on top of that it might still reduce what you get.

People who retire under the old system are allowed to top up their state pension to receive higher payouts. They also have the option of deferring it under more generous terms than people will get in future.

Rises in the state pension are presently calculated on the basis of something called the 'Triple Lock'. This means that payouts always increase by whatever is the the highest of inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent.

Critics have pointed out that the Triple Lock could prove an unsustainable financial commitment in the longer term, but the current Conservative Government has pledged to maintain it during its current term in office.